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Call to restore 50/50 transit funding

Adam Johnston, who owns a home in the Talbot-Grey section of Elmwood and has lived in various parts of Elmwood and East Kildonan his entire life, has launched a campaign to restore shared provincial funding for transit.

Back in November, talking to other transit users and advocates, Johnston learned that many others shared his concern over a “lack of consistent funding” for transit.

The Province of Manitoba formerly had an agreement with municipalities whereby the province would fund 50 per cent of transit operations[1.1]. This agreement was ended in 2017 by the previous provincial government. A survey from 2018 [2.1]showed that around 80 per cent of Winnipeggers wanted it restored. The current provincial government has not yet restored the transit funding agreement.

Johnston believes inflationary pressures, rising fare costs, and Winnipeg Transit’s 2025 switch to a new network has revealed the inadequacy of funding for bus service and the insufficiency of transit service. Rising fares are a particular concern for Johnston, who argues they can lead to more fare disputes — which undermine safety.

While some of Winnipeg Transit’s new routes, such as the Frequent Express Regent-Grant (FX3) line, have been more convenient and frequent for Johnston, other changes have resulted in worse service. As an example, he notes that the D17 (Direct Talbot - Selkirk) ends earlier on weekends than the route it replaced 44 (Grey).

“It’s not the system, it’s the service levels – and that comes down to funding,” Johnston said.

For Johnston, provincial funding is a matter of equity and planning for growth. He notes that women, those with lower incomes, and Indigenous peoples are overrepresented as transit riders. He also notes that those living in older communities, such as Elmwood, are more likely to take transit. As Winnipeg has over 800,000 residents and could reach a million in the not-too-distant future, it’s important to realize that not everyone will be driving cars for every trip and an effective, well-funded mass transit system is necessary to support growth.

Johnston said this ties into various provincial policy concerns, including climate.

“Half the city’s carbon emissions come from transportation and most of those come from private automobiles. When you support public transit, it’s a climate justice and transportation justice issue… you’re addressing two challenges with one stone” Johnston said.

To learn more about the campaign to restore 50-50 provincial funding for transit you can visit 5050transitwpg.wordpress.com

Dylon Martin is a community correspondent for Elmwood.